MacCo Energy Improves Heating Costs at Concord Academy

Challenge:

MacCo Energy, a division of the much larger MacCormack Plumbing, in Billerica, Massachusetts, has handled HVAC service and replacement work at the nearby Concord Academy preparatory school for several years.

Like other buildings on the campus, the Headmaster’s House was in need of an oil-to-gas conversion. The 12,000 square-foot, 150-year-old building was heated by a grossly oversized oil boiler from 1982. The 600 MBH unit used roughly $7,000 worth of oil per winter and required constant maintenance.

Rick Goguen, Director of Service and Installation at MacCo, already had a plan in mind.

Solution:

The standing cast iron radiation, which was also oversized, remained in place. This allowed Goguen the ability to reduce the supply water temperature despite the -20°F outdoor design temperature in eastern Massachusetts. Thanks, outdoor reset.

The new design called for a 285 MBH Alpine boiler along with an indirect-fired water heater.

“The Alpine is our #1 boiler, and has been for eight years,” said Goguen. “We have nearly 450 of them in the field. Fewer issues arise with the Alpine than with any other boiler we’ve ever installed. We’ve used every size of the Alpine, from 80 to 800 MBH. The Alpine is super easy to install and service.”

All new copper was installed with ProPress fittings. Five fixed-speed circulators were installed on the secondary loop with several remote zone valves for a total of nine-individually controlled zones.

Result:

“Nothing major ever fails on the Alpine,” said Goguen. “These units have a great industry reputation, and for good reason. We anticipate a 40 percent savings in heating cost of this building.”

With the Headmaster’s House conquered, the school and MacCo can turn their attention to other energy, water and money saving retrofits across the renowned campus.